Choosing the Right Path
by KnifeoftheMoon
Summary: Twenty-four children, each with their own secrets, lives, and stories, all gathered in one arena to fight to the death. But there's a twist. YOU, dear readers, will be their sponsors. YOU choose who gets life-saving supplies. YOU help decide who lives and dies. Now how about that.
1. Tributes

Giant, A/N chapters suck, but this is a new type of thing for me. An interactive story. An interactive _Hunger Games_ story.

And you, dear readers, will play the part of the Sponsors. You will have a say in who lives and who dies, and what kind of tools the charcaters will be given to survive.

Another thing: This story shies away from Canon, because it's the could-have-been 99th Hunger Games.

Oh, and one last thing...

You also get to choose whose POVs I'll use.

Go ahead and vote. I'll be using six tribute POV characters, and only six. Below is the list to choose from.

 _DISTRICT ONE_

RUBY, age 18. A self-proclaimed plain girl who grew up in a family where beauty was everything. Determined to prove her worth.

PYRITE, age 16. He never wanted to be a Tribute, but always claimed he did to avoid losing friends. When he was drawn, no one volunteered for him. Everyone thought that was what he wanted.

 _DISTRICT TWO_

ENETI, age 17. A seemingly cold, callous girl who dislikes human company. She didn't volunteer for the glory, though. She felt compassion for the tiny girl whose name was drawn.

GUSTUS, age 18. His parents were both great victors, so he was more or less pressured into volunteering. Everyone expects him to win by a landslide, but he just feels stressed.

 _DISTRICT THREE_

SAMANTHA, age 12. She isn't exactly scared of killing, but she doesn't relish it either. Samantha is a cheerful, eager, curious girl.

SEAR, age 18. His younger stepbrother's best friend was selected as a tribute. His own family doesn't seem to care that he volunteered, and neither does he.

 _DISTRICT FOUR_

CORAL, age 17. Back home, she's thought of as the shy, tall girl who likes fishing. That's true, but no one really knows of her wide imagination and creativity.

AARON, age 16. Strong and friendly, but not considered particularly smart.

 _DISTRICT FIVE_

TAWNY, age 14. Bold and cunning. Not in a sneaky way though... A little too cocky for her own good.

JAMES, age 15. Shy, but kind of intelligent, with a love for birds.

 _DISTRICT SIX_

BELLA, age 13. Naive and sweet. Afraid of the games.

LAN, age 17. Stoic and practical. Tries not to show that he's afraid, but in truth...

 _DISTRICT SEVEN_

CASSIA, age 14. Can't stand the games, or violence, or even weapons. Not terrified of them unless they're in her hands, but she has a hatred for those types of things overall.

ROLAN, age 13. Compassionate. Afraid of wild animals, but not blood or violence, as his uncle was the town doctor.

 _DISTRICT EIGHT_

LYNN, age 15. Clumsy, but clever. Also incredibly loud and friendly.

SETH, age 16. A little too selfless. Volunteered for a random kid because he's confident that he can help people in the games. That's his only agenda.

 _DISTRICT NINE_

AMBER, age 17. A sadistic girl who volunteered for the sake of bloodshed. Was a bit surprised when the other tribute from her distric volunteered, as she considers herself to be the strong, bold one.

PLATO, age 15. A wiry, short-for-his-age boy who volunteered because he wanted to prove himself.

 _DISTRICT TEN_

BUNNY, age 16. Her brother was killed in the games. She acts emotionless, and can be incredibly bitter, stubborn, and angry.

TANNER, age 12. Usually, he's the energetic, curious one. Throw him into the games and he's too terrified to speak.

 _DISTRICT ELEVEN_

PEMMA, age 15. Kind and incredibly compassionate, but also incredibly witty and sarcastic.

FERRIS, age 13. Cheerful, but doesn't expect to make it out of the games alive. Still, he's determined to put on a brave face and go out with a bang.

 _DISTRICT TWELVE_

NOLA, age 18. She's smart, but not particularly brave. Scared of going to her death.

WHIT, age 14. Everyone expects him to die, considering the combination of a frail body and a reckless nature.


	2. Stoic

**(A/N again. How nice. The first few chapters may be a bit short, as I'm getting used to the characters. Once everyone has been introduced, I shall introduce the rules to the sponsors. Thank you.)**

"I volunteer."

He didn't shout those two words, or speak them with the cocky tone that was often heard from Careers. He just said them, in a clear voice that was easily heard throughout the town square of District 9.

Plato Queran didn't want this to be an emotional event. It wasn't a matter of love, fear, or sadness, it was a matter of honor. He'd always been called weak by the other boys at school, even those younger than him.

"I'm not weak," he'd said in protest. "In the long run, I bet I'm stronger than any of you. I'm strong where it matters." Strength wasn't supposed to be important in District 9, but it was. At least to him.

"Prove it then," one of the boys, a tan youth named Albert had said. "Win the Hunger Games."

"Come back a Victor, and we'll know that you really are 'strong'," another boy added.

"I will then," Plato had said, turning his back to them.

"Sure. You know what? Just go ahead and pray that your name is drawn. Then when you're up there crying like a baby, I'll volunteer for you."

He hadn't replied to that, just kept walking silently. Plato knew that they were all talk. But he wasn't.

Now as he walked up to the stage, surrounded by teenagers stunned into silence, he glanced at Albert's open-mouthed group.

 _See?_ he wanted to say. _I'm strong. Maybe not physically, but I have more courage than you._ He held back a smirk.

The escort for the Tributes of 9, a middle-aged man who was trying to look twenty, smiled hugely and held out a microphone. "What is your name, young man?"

"Plato Queran." Again, he left out any emotion. Not only would he refrain from 'crying like a baby', he'd also steer clear ofanything else. He was not weak.

Plato took a step forwards to shake hands with his fellow Tribute, Amber. She grasped his hand a little to tightly to be friendly, and glared at him, attempting to stare him down. Plato thought he knew why. Amber had volunteered as well. Everyone in 9 knew she would, but not for the glory. Amber was in it for the blood. Plato knew he'd have to watch out for her in the games, or she'd pounce on him and torture him to death for daring to look her in the eye.

As the Reaping ended, and they headed indoors to say goodbye, Plato was all too aware of the silence behind him. District 9 wasn't supposed to have a Volunteer. And two? He was willing to bet that the Capitol would be all over this. He entered a room, and waited for his family to be brought in. Undoubtedly, this would be the worst part. His grandfather would call him crazy. His sister would cry. His cousin would put on a brave face and wish him luck, then break down after they parted for what everyone assumed was the last time.

But it wouldn't be the last time. Plato was determined to win, to prove to all of Panem that the small, picked-on fifteen year old wasn't a coward, and wasn't a weakling. Children from District 9 weren't supposed to face the Games without breaking down. But District 9 would just have to get over that.


	3. Family

Coral tried to keep her brave face on when her family came to say goodbye. She couldn't cry, or look afraid, especially not in front of her little cousins. But one look at her aunt's sorrowful face, and she started tearing up. She knelt and allowed herself to be swarmed by her aunt's four children as they hugged her goodbye.

"You'll do good Coral, you'll do good!"

"You'll make it back."

"You'll be the best one out there!"

It was all she could do to hold it together and reply with an 'I know'. She couldn't stand goodbyes of any sort, and these were the worst kind. At last, she stood, giving her aunt a quick hug.

"Where's Dom?" she asked. Her little brother wasn't in the room, and she had to bid him farewell, especially if... If she... She bit her lip and tried not to think about it.

"He's right behind us. He wanted to say goodbye alone."

Coral nodded. It was just like Dom. He always wanted to look like a big tough guy. "You guys be good," she told her cousins. "If you behave, we'll build the biggest fort you ever saw when I get back." She closed her eyes, and took a breath in an attempt to steady her emotions before Dom entered.

It didn't do her much good. The second she saw him she broke down and cried again. He sat away from her while she regained her composure. Coral guessed he was uncomfortable. Or trying to look strong. Likely both.

"Coral..." He said at last, letting her name hang there for a long time.

She looked up at him. "Yeah?"

"Don't... Don't get hurt, okay? You have to come back okay. You have to make it. Because you're really good at fishing and swimming, so you have to win. And..." The words came spilling out so fast that she could barely understand them. For a second, Dom looked like he was going to cry.

"Dom," she said softly.

"You have to come back. You promised you'd teach me how to make a net, so you have to come back and _keep_ that promise."

She was losing the fight against her emotions again. "Okay."

Her brother started crying too, and ran to her suddenly for a hug. "Don't die. Don't die, I'll miss you."

"I won't. I'll come back, and teach you everything about nets and knots and..." She couldn't even finish the sentence. They just stayed there, hugging, until the Peacekeepers came to get her.

"You'd better come back!" Dom shouted after her.

"I will!" Coral shouted back. "I promise."


End file.
